Collar-button.



No. 64l,5 65.

Patented Jan. I6, I900. E. H. WHEELER.

COLLAR BUTTON.

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1899."

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ATENT EDWARD H. \VHEELER, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

COLLAR-BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,565, dated January 16, 1900.

Application filed March 28 1899.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collar- Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in metallic collar, cuff, or stud buttons, and especially to that class having pivotal extensible heads.

It is one object of my invention to improve upon buttons of the above class by simplifying and cheapening their construction and at the same time improving their efficiency and durability.

It is further an object to provide a pivotal head which when straightened out for insertion into a collar will be in direct line with its post, thereby accommodating very narrow buttonholes, and, finally, to so construct said button that when its head is turned and locked it will remain in said position until forcibly disengaged by the wearer.

With the above objects in view my invention resides and consists in the novel construction and combination of parts shown upon the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and upon which similar letters of reference denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures, and of which- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my button complete, the head of which is extended ready for insertion. Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal vertical section of the button. Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View, the head, however, being in a locked position. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken at a right angle to Fig. 2, the position of the parts agreeing with said figure. Fig. 5 is a central vertical sectional view showing the internal construction of the head.

Referring to the characters of reference marked upon the drawings, A indicates the base, and B a hollow post thereon, which latter, as will be seen, is preferably oblong, having a central tubular enlargement O. Vithin this post is vertically mounted a lateral yieldable U -shaped shank D, the upper ends of which are flared outward to receive the Serial No. 710,764. (No model.)

body of the head E, and the extremities of said shank are turned inward at a right angle, forming pivotal pointsF to engage correspondin g bearings G and cwithin the opposite edges of the head aforesaid. In addition to said bearings I provide at either side thereof suitable sockets H, the corners of which are approximatelysquare. By reason of the lateral elasticity of the U-shaped shank the vertical position of the ends of the same will readily close inward and drop into the sockets afore said when the head is turned at a right angle, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby firmly retaining said head in its locked position until released by the wearer.

As previously stated, the head of my button is extensible and is made so by reason of a shank which carries the head being slidably mounted within the post B. Said shank is normally retained in a retracted position by means of a spiral spring I, mounted within the barrel-shaped portion of the post, one end of which spring abuts against the lower portion of said shank, while the other is engaged by a pin, prick-punch, or other suitable means.

I prefer to construct the head of two concave pieces of sheet metal a a and an internal piece b. The two outer edges of the latter are rolled up to form bearings O for the pivotal ends F of the shank D, as shown. (See Fig. 5.)

The top edge of the post is preferably left slightly open to receive the bottom edge of the head when the same is extended for insertion into a buttonhole, and the outer corners of said edges may be beveled, as shown, to insure free engagement, thereby obviating an objection of long standing.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the operation of my button is substantially as follows: The user would draw out the shank and head and turn the latter upon its pivot into line with said shank. Said head then settles back into the post, whereupon the bottom edge is forced in between the openings of the post, which latter firmly retains it against any independent movement. In this position the button may be inserted, and after the operation is completed the user simply draws the head outward from the position shown in Fig. 2 and turns it to a right angle upon its pivot, whereupon the yieldable shank wardly-disposed ends,

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is-

1. The combination in a collar-button, of a base having a hollow oblong postwith an open top and tubular enlargement, a U -shapedlaterally-yieldable shank slidably mounted in said post, a spring within the post and enlargement to normally hold said shank in a retracted position, a head pivoted between the free ends of said shank and adapted to be seated Within the open end of said post when extended, and to rest thereon at a right angle when locked, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a button of the class described, of a base provided with a hollow postand having a central enlargement, a U- shaped shank laterally yieldable, slidably mounted in said post and provided with ina spring to normally hold said shank in a retracted position, a head pivotally mounted between said ends, a socket formed in the edge of said head to engage the ends of the shank, substantially as described.

3. In a button of the class described, the combination with a base, of ahollow post having an open top, a U-shaped shank slidably mounted in said post and having inwardlydisposed ends, a spring to operate said shank,

a head pivotally mounted between said ends and adapted to rest centrally in the open top of the post when extended, substantially as described.

4. A collar-button or like article comprising a base having a post, of a hollow head suitably hinged thereto and comprising two concave sheet-metal disks suitably united together, an internal piece of sheet metal in the hollow head, the outer edges of which sheet metal are rolled up to form bearings for the hingepoints of the shank, substantially as shown and described.

Signed at \Vaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut.

EDWARD I I. WHEELER. lVitnesses:

A. L. WATERMAN, A. J. ROBERTS. 

